Page:Barbour--Joan of the ilsand.djvu/290

278 "Yesterday and to-day," the man said musingly, "I have actually been thinking that perhaps I ought to go right out of your life and try to forget." "Without saying why?"

"Yes."

"But you wouldn't have done it, dear man," the girl said smilingly. "No, Keith, you don't understand yourself half as well as I do."

"Your brother is not asleep yet," he said a minute or two later. "Let's go in and stagger him with the news."

With his arm round Joan's shoulder, Keith led her to Chester's room, where the planter was reading in bed.

"We—" they began in chorus, and then stopped, looking at one another and laughing.

Chester put down his book and smiled.

"By a process of logical reasoning," he said, glancing at the location of Keith's arm and seeing the happiness in their faces, "I should assume—"

"Go ahead and assume, old man," said Keith. "Joan and I have just been fixing up a kind of a new partnership."

"Old as the hills," said Chester. "I once did the same thing myself, but the lady changed her mind next morning, for which I was later devoutly thankful. But seriously, I'm awfully glad, Keith. I shall miss her frightfully, but these little things will happen, y'know."